During 2022, the Sported Foundation partnered with Barclays Bank on the Barclays Community Football Fund, offering small grants, training, kit and exclusive ticketing offers to hundreds of clubs across the UK in order to make football more accessible within local communities. Between 5,000 and 6,000 organisations are expected to be offered a grant during the course of the programme, which will run until December 2024.
The Sported and Barclays Community Football Fund provides small grants to community groups in the UK to a make playing football more accessible at a grassroots level. In particular, Sported and Barclays want to encourage girls and young people from lower socio-economic and under-represented groups, including culturally diverse communities, young people with disabilities, and young people from the LGBTQ+ community to participate in football.
While applications aren’t currently being accepted to the programme, it will re-open in 2023 (check the Sported website for updates), so there is plenty of time to start preparing an application for when the scheme reconvenes, including becoming a member of Sported (the Community Football Fund is only open to members of Sported. Membership is free.).
Grants of up to £500 can be used for such things as (please note that this is not an exclusive list):
o Coaching, training and qualifications.
o Football kit and equipment.
o Hiring venues.
o Insurances, and
o Volunteer expenses.
Eligible applicants will be required to meet the following criteria:
o Already include an offering for girls or are wanting to start such a provision.
o Be a member of Sported.
o Be keen to access training to learn about how to engage with new under-represented audiences.
o Deliver football activities to young people (up to and including 24 years of age) OR are wanting to start.
o Have a bank account in the name of their organisation.
o Have a constitution or articles of association.
o Have a health and safety policy and any relevant risk assessments.
o Have a Safeguarding policy (updated within the last two years).
o Have the aspiration and capacity to grow their membership of young people from under-represented groups. This includes girls, young people with disabilities, from culturally diverse communities and from the LGBTQ+ community, and
o Have up to date and relevant insurance.
Further information, guidance, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and details about how to apply is available on the Sported website.
The programme will remain open until December 2024. The Sported Foundation website states that the scheme will invite applications again in 2023. Please check the website for further information about application windows and deadlines.
